AltbauSan18
2018-03-04 22:30:54
- #1
Hi,
I have been planning and partly carrying out my old building renovation for a few months now. After a lot of back and forth about which windows are better and whether the roller shutter boxes should be replaced or not, we finally made a decision.
We thought the issue was finally settled.
Now the windows are installed, but I have my doubts about the way they were installed.
The window installer said during the sales talks that he installs according to RAL and that a sealing tape is prescribed for this. For that, the reveals would have to be finely plastered.
A company known to the window installer then did exactly that.
However, I was surprised that foam was still used between the sealing tape and the reveal. When I asked an employee why this was necessary, he said the gap between the window and the reveal was too large and otherwise it would not be airtight. Later, I was told it was done because of the cold weather (it was below freezing) since the tape did not expand.
I would like to hear or read your opinions on the following points.
1. If foam was used anyway, couldn't the sealing tape have been omitted altogether?
2. If yes, could I then have also saved myself the fine plastering? (After removing the windows and knocking off the old plaster, the reveals were relatively even anyway)
3. Is it still RAL compliant if only foam was sprayed between the window and the reveal?
By the way, only foam was used under the window anyway, because the other company allegedly built the lower window reveal a bit too high (where the previous bentonite window sill was)
4. Was it even permissible to use the sealing tape at those temperatures? The Würth instructions at least specify a processing temperature of at least 5°C. Although there was heating inside, with several open >1.5m2-sized holes, that did not help much.
Furthermore, I have additional doubts.
It was always obvious to me that the substrate should be cleaned before any building materials or seals are used.
I was already surprised that no one asked me for water or that I never heard a vacuum cleaner. Then I saw that the window installers had not even swept the lower window reveal with a broom and simply sprayed the foam there. This surface was covered with a cement or mortar dust layer at least 2-3 mm thick.
I would say the foam adheres to the dust but not to the underlying wall, or am I wrong?
Moreover, I noticed in some places that the sealing tape does not stick to the window. I assume this is either because the window frames were not cleaned in the dusty apartment before the tape was applied or because of the low temperatures or both.
What do you think?
Well, that's enough writing for now and I hope there are only a few typos... (It's really a struggle to write this on a smartphone)
Here are a few pictures:

I have been planning and partly carrying out my old building renovation for a few months now. After a lot of back and forth about which windows are better and whether the roller shutter boxes should be replaced or not, we finally made a decision.
We thought the issue was finally settled.
Now the windows are installed, but I have my doubts about the way they were installed.
The window installer said during the sales talks that he installs according to RAL and that a sealing tape is prescribed for this. For that, the reveals would have to be finely plastered.
A company known to the window installer then did exactly that.
However, I was surprised that foam was still used between the sealing tape and the reveal. When I asked an employee why this was necessary, he said the gap between the window and the reveal was too large and otherwise it would not be airtight. Later, I was told it was done because of the cold weather (it was below freezing) since the tape did not expand.
I would like to hear or read your opinions on the following points.
1. If foam was used anyway, couldn't the sealing tape have been omitted altogether?
2. If yes, could I then have also saved myself the fine plastering? (After removing the windows and knocking off the old plaster, the reveals were relatively even anyway)
3. Is it still RAL compliant if only foam was sprayed between the window and the reveal?
By the way, only foam was used under the window anyway, because the other company allegedly built the lower window reveal a bit too high (where the previous bentonite window sill was)
4. Was it even permissible to use the sealing tape at those temperatures? The Würth instructions at least specify a processing temperature of at least 5°C. Although there was heating inside, with several open >1.5m2-sized holes, that did not help much.
Furthermore, I have additional doubts.
It was always obvious to me that the substrate should be cleaned before any building materials or seals are used.
I was already surprised that no one asked me for water or that I never heard a vacuum cleaner. Then I saw that the window installers had not even swept the lower window reveal with a broom and simply sprayed the foam there. This surface was covered with a cement or mortar dust layer at least 2-3 mm thick.
I would say the foam adheres to the dust but not to the underlying wall, or am I wrong?
Moreover, I noticed in some places that the sealing tape does not stick to the window. I assume this is either because the window frames were not cleaned in the dusty apartment before the tape was applied or because of the low temperatures or both.
What do you think?
Well, that's enough writing for now and I hope there are only a few typos... (It's really a struggle to write this on a smartphone)
Here are a few pictures: